Tasnim – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif condemned Israel as a “brutal and rogue apartheid regime” for its recent killing of Palestinian people and called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to punish the regime and protect the lives of Palestinians.


“In the light of the massacre in Gaza, the international community is entitled to demand an end to the impunity of this brutal and rogue apartheid regime,” Zarif said, addressing an emergency meeting of the OIC about Palestine in the Turkish city of Istanbul on Friday.

“It is imperative for our Organization to reinforce the call for bringing the perpetrators to justice,” he said, adding, “We need to take concrete action in the United Nations system, including by pushing for a transparent and independent international inquiry and asking for providing international protection for the Palestinians as envisaged in international humanitarian law.”

The following is the full Text of Zarif’s speech:

Mr. Chairman,

I should begin by thanking the Turkish government for acting promptly to bring all of us together to consult about the horrific situation unfolding in occupied Palestine. The outrageous massacre of peaceful Palestinian protesters in Gaza, which constitutes war crime and crime against humanity, was the culmination of a new round of malicious acts undertaken in the past 6 months to suppress the Palestinians who dare to demand their basic rights. The unlawful announcement by the US President last December regarding Al-Quds and his dangerous move to implement that decision on Day of Nakbah, triggered the tragedy and emboldened the occupiers to embark on a series of cold blooded massacres, the latest of which included snipers shooting children in the back.

In the light of the massacre in Gaza, the international community is entitled to demand an end to the impunity of this brutal and rogue apartheid regime. It is imperative for our Organization to reinforce the call for bringing the perpetrators to justice. We need to take concrete action in the United Nations system, including by pushing for a transparent and independent international inquiry and asking for providing international protection for the Palestinians as envisaged in international humanitarian law. We must also press upon the Security Council to live up to its primary responsibility. We also support the efforts by Palestine to bring the issue before the ICC.

We should close ranks with other organizations, the overwhelming majority of States, and grass root movements across the globe who are rejecting US unilateralism, bullying tactics and contempt for international law, and condemning Zionist occupation and brutality.

While we support the declaration, it should not be construed as recognition of the illegitimate Zionist entity.

Brothers and sisters,

What has further emboldened the Zionist enemy is our disunity despite of our common past and common destiny and in spite of all the challenges and opportunities that bind us together.  The defense of Al-Quds now more than ever should serve as our rallying point, uniting us to create a strong Ummah, rather than engaging in pointless quarrels.